Construction Begins on Zhaoyuan Unit 2 in China

The first concrete for the basemat of the second Hualong One unit at the Zhaoyuan nuclear power plant was poured on September 5. This pour involved approximately 8,800 cubic meters of concrete and was completed over a period of about 60 hours. The construction of this unit is being undertaken by China Nuclear Engineering & Construction Corp (CNECC), a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation.

The Zhaoyuan plant project, located in China, is being constructed and operated by Shandong Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Company, a subsidiary of China General Nuclear (CGN). This project represents CGN's initial nuclear power venture in Shandong. The plant is designed to eventually accommodate six Hualong One units, with a total investment estimated at CNY120 billion (USD16.9 billion).

Construction of Phase I, encompassing units 1 and 2 of the Zhaoyuan plant, received approval from China's State Council in August 2024. The first concrete for unit 1 was poured in November 2025. Each unit is anticipated to begin generating power within 50 to 60 months following the start of its construction.

Upon full completion, the Zhaoyuan plant is expected to have a total installed capacity of 7.2 GWe and generate 50 TWh of electricity annually. This output is projected to meet the yearly electricity needs of approximately five million people. CGN estimates that this will lead to an annual reduction of about 15.27 million tonnes in standard coal consumption and a decrease of approximately 46.2 million tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions.

A notable feature of the Zhaoyuan plant is the implementation of secondary circulation large-scale seawater cooling systems, marking their first application at a nuclear power plant in China. Each unit will incorporate a 203-meter-high natural draft cooling tower for water collection, featuring a water-spraying area of 16,800 square meters. This design shifts the conventional island's direct cooling source from the ocean to the atmosphere.

Kairos Power Completes First Phase of ETU 3 Reactor Mockup Testing

Kairos Power has completed the initial phase of testing for its Engineering Test Unit 3 (ETU 3) reactor mockup, located at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This unit is part of Kairos Power's iterative development approach for its fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The reduced-scale non-nuclear mockup cavity includes a reactor vessel and a precast concrete shielding structure, which utilizes 3D-printed polymer composite forms developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. These components are supported by steel frames.

Each panel in the ETU 3 demonstration incorporates steel-framed openings designed to test various concrete shielding plug designs. These plugs allow process lines from the reactor to pass through the shielding structure to other plant areas. A remote handling system will be used to connect and disconnect these lines, aiming to minimize operational disruptions.

Ed Blandford, Kairos Power co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, stated that the completion of this initial demonstration at ETU 3 is an important step toward establishing a sustainable maintenance concept for the future fleet. He emphasized that demonstrating the interfaces between modular shielding structures and reactor equipment, and testing remote handling tools for component maintenance and replacement, provides a better understanding of design features that will be standardized in commercial KP-FHR deployments.

ETU 3, the third engineering test unit in the program, will inform the next iterations of the Hermes 2 reactor cavity design and serve as a training platform for future operators. Kairos Power broke ground for Hermes 2 on the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant footprint in April. The Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor (Hermes 1), a scaled demonstration reactor, is also under construction at Oak Ridge. Hermes 1, the first non-light-water reactor approved for construction by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will not produce electricity but will provide lessons for Hermes 2.

Previous test units include ETU 1.0, a full-scale, electrically heated prototype of the Hermes reactor, which completed over 2,000 hours of pumped salt operations. This unit demonstrated the design and integration of key systems, exercised the supply chain, and established new capabilities, including the production of high-purity fluoride-lithium-beryllium (FLiBe) salt coolant. ETU 2.0, a non-power unit, followed to demonstrate modular construction methods.

Argentina Targets 2027 Launch for RA-10 Multipurpose Reactor

Argentina is advancing with the RA-10 multipurpose nuclear research reactor project, targeting commissioning by the end of 2024 and full operation by 2027. The 30-megawatt open-pool reactor, located at the Ezeiza Atomic Centre, is currently 96% complete. A team of 530 personnel is conducting final work and system tests in preparation for its launch. The project, which began in June 2010 with a construction license granted in November 2014, is a key initiative for the country's nuclear sector.

The RA-10 is designed to produce products and services for health, science, technology, and industry. It is projected to supply approximately 20% of the global demand for molybdenum-99, a critical radioisotope used in nuclear medicine. The reactor's capacity is expected to exceed domestic demand, allowing for exports that could generate foreign exchange and create highly skilled jobs in a specialized international market with limited suppliers.

To finance the development and construction of the associated production plant, as well as its production and commercial activities, a model has been defined to incorporate private capital. The national government will maintain strategic leadership, with the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) overseeing regulation and oversight. Nuclear technology firm Invap is the main contractor, responsible for the design and construction of the reactor facility and related installations.

Beyond radioisotope production, the RA-10 will facilitate the production of doped silicon for industrial applications and support new research across various fields. It will also serve as a training platform. The facility will include associated installations such as the Argentine Neutron Beam Laboratory and the Laboratory for the Study of Irradiated Materials. The RA-10 is set to replace the 10 MWt RA-3 reactor, which has been operational at the same site since 1967.